Monthly Archives: March 2013

Traveling along Commonwealth Avenue last Holy Thursday, we couldn’t help but notice the buses racing against each other along the wide highway. One bus speeding along the motorcycle lane almost hit a motorcycle along that lane. Traffic was free flowing and speed limits obviously were not being enforced or followed. Running at 60 kph, our vehicle was always passed by buses and cars alike, their drivers probably enjoying the wide space and the knowledge that there will be few if any traffic enforcers along Commonwealth. We saw a few underneath the Tandang Sora flyover but they were relaxed and seem to turn a blind eye over speeding violations along the highway. The video below was taken last Thursday and showed three buses speeding along Commonwealth, occupying lanes that they are not supposed to be using (Note: Public transport are supposed to run along the two outermost lanes of the highway marked with yellow lines.)

People have been telling me about the traffic congestion along Circumferential Road 5 (C-5) and I am quick to reply that I know the feeling as I’m one of those who have driven or traveled along C-5 and experienced first hand the traffic congestion, which is worst during the mornings (southbound) and late afternoons and evenings (northbound). Midday traffic jams are not uncommon as C-5 is a truck route and large vehicles contribute to clogging especially at bottlenecks like the U-turns slots along the highway and bridge crossing the Pasig River. C-5 has been this way since its opening (or more appropriately the completion of missing links along the main alignment).

It will not get better. It will only get worse. I say so because of the annual increase in vehicle ownership, including motorcycles, in what is now termed as Mega Manila. I dare say so because of the backlog of public transport infrastructure in the metropolis (or megalopolis?). It is well established that efficient public transport infra and services are good incentives for people to commute rather than drive. This means there will be less vehicles on the road and therefore there will be less congestion as basically only those who really need to drive would be using their cars on a regular basis. Of course, it is not as easy at it seems considering trip making and mode choices are in reality complicated matters. But then the availability of viable, acceptable choices for travel, especially in the urban setting allows for people to have better mobility and more equitable use of the transport system than a car-oriented city. Until then, when we do have the public transport system that our cities require, it will be a daily penitensya for many of us traveling and not just along C-5.

Congestion along the southbound side of C-5 approaching the flyover crossing Ortigas Ave. The flyover can be seen in the horizon.

Congestion along C-5 southbound in the Bo. Ugong area approaching the junction with Lanuza Avenue. An overpass was proposed for construction along this section but now it doesn’t look like it will do any good considering the bottleneck is the Pasig Flyover and the bridge across Pasig River.

Congestion along C-5 southbound at the Pasig flyover. The flyover has 2 lanes per direction and vehicle breakdowns or road crashes have resulted in terrible traffic jams.

Congestion along C-5 northbound at the C-5/Kalayaan junction. The north U-turn flyover, one of two in the area, is shown in the photo. An underpass was initially proposed, designed and approved (with budget from a JBIC loan) at the junction. A previous MMDA Chair, however, didn’t agree and successfully maneuvered for the twin U-turn flyovers to be constructed instead.

Last Friday, the midday downpours resulted in flash floods around Metro Manila. The rains were not really a surprise given that PAGASA and other weather reports already stated the high probability of rain that day. It was the volume of rains that day in most parts of Metro Manila and the surrounding areas that caught a lot of people unprepared as many areas including streets experienced flash floods. Most cases were due to drainage systems unable to take in the rainwater because many were ill-designed or were clogged by debris (e.g., garbage, leaves, soil/dirt, etc.). The rains caused or worsened traffic congestion along many roads including C-5, Quezon Ave., and other flood prone streets in the metropolis. It was reported that some areas had zero visibility and so a lot of motorists were forced to slow down in order to avoid being involved in a road crash. It is good practice for all to turn on their headlights or hazard lights during times of heavy rains. If a driver has difficulty driving under such conditions, it is recommended that the driver pull off from the road and wait until the rains have weakened for safer driving.

Atop the C-5 flyover from the Blue Ridge area and moving towards Eastwood, we couldn’t help but quip about the overpass being transformed into an elevated waterway (aqueduct?) as the drainage couldn’t handle the amount of water pouring in from the skies.

Caught this scene of a boat on a trailer apparently en route for delivery. I thought is was at the same time humorous and ironic as rain was pouring around us and some parts of C-5 was already flooded. Perhaps we’ll need these boats to go around Metro Manila in the future during the wet seasons when heavy rains cause deluges in many areas. My colleague noted that the trailer didn’t have a license plate (Note: Trailers are required to have their own registration with the LTO.) and so wasn’t supposed to be on the road.

Rizal Avenue stretches from Manila northward to Caloocan city from Carriedo to Monumento. What used to be one of the more cosmopolitan streets in Manila was transformed (some say blighted) by the construction of the elevated LRT Line in the early 1980’s. Carriedo, for example, used to be a popular shopping street along with Escolta. Those were times when there were none of the huge shopping malls now scattered in Metro Manila and people came to Manila to shop.

The following photos were taken while we traversed Rizal Avenue as part of a recon we were conducting for a project with the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) back in 2011. I’m not sure if there have been any significant changes along Rizal Avenue and I am not aware of any recent programs to improve conditions under the LRT Line 1.

Approaching the LRT Line 1 Carriedo Station from the McArthur Bridge

Under Carriedo Station, one experiences first-hand what people have been saying about the area being blighted by the LRT 1 structure

Poorly lighted? It was broad daylight outdoors when we conducted the recon but underneath an LRT 1 Station it can get quite dark. Of course, aside from the need to improve illumination, perhaps authorities can also improve the environment including the cleanliness of the area under the station. A common complaint is garbage and there are those saying the area smells of piss (i.e., mapanghi).

Past Carriedo Station, it was brighter and perhaps the area can be developed so that stretches can be pedestrian friendly. Maybe there should also be restrictions on vehicle parking, which tends to make the area look congested. It would be good to have a strategically located multilevel facility in the area where most vehicles can park instead of along the streets as shown in the photo.

5More roadside parking plus the presence of tricycles contribute to traffic congestion in the area. People are everywhere walking and crossing anywhere. The arcades where they are supposed to walk along are mainly occupied by vendors or merchandise of stores/shops occupying the ground floors of the buildings along the street.

Each side of Rizal Avenue is surprisingly wide with 3 lanes per direction. One lane is effectively used for on-street parking while the other two are for general traffic. There are no lane markings at the time we passed by the area so there can be confusion as to lane assignments.

Approach to the junction with Recto Ave. and the LRT Line 2, which is also elevated and at the 3rd level as shown in the photo.

The Sta. Cruz district and particularly the Bambang area is well-known for shops selling medical equipment and supplies. Medical, nursing and other students of allied medical professions as well as professionals come to Bambang to purchase equipment and supplies from these shops, which offer items at lower prices.

LRT 1 Bambang Station

Rizal Ave.-Bambang St. intersection beneath the station

Two large government hospitals are located in the area between Bambang Station and Tayuman Station – San Lazaro Hospital and Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center. Both are run by the Department of Health (DOH), which is located beside Jose Reyes.

On our way to a meeting at the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) in Bicutan, Taguig City, we crossed the PNR line running parallel to the SLEX. I quickly took a photo of the scene to the right of our vehicle that showed an informal market and terminal. The informal market or talipapa is one you would usually finally elsewhere in many other places in the city and likely caters to mostly informal settlers residing along the PNR ROW. On our return trip from the DOST, we took the same route and again I quickly took a photo of what was on the other side of the road along the same PNR line. On the other side was the PNR Bicutan Station and what appears to be a clear ROW northbound towards Manila. Much has been accomplished in the clearing of the PNR’s ROW over the past years and the efforts included the relocation of many informal settlers in coordination with the local governments along the PNR line.

The PNR Bicutan Station on the north side of Gen. Santos Ave. near the SLEX Bicutan interchange

Non-motorized trolleys on the south side of Gen. Santos Ave. near the SLEX Bicutan Exit

The trolleys are informal transport vehicles serve people living along the PNR ROW including many informal settlements within and without the PNR property. Some of the buildings or structures of these informal settlers are visible in the photo downstream of the railroad crossing. There are similar cases in Manila and elsewhere along the PNR ROW including motorized trolley services in the provinces of Quezon and Camarines Sur, where trolleys are also utilized for public transport and are the means for livelihood by some of the same informal settlers.

There are increasing safety concerns for these vehicles, their operators and their passengers. The trolleys are lifted from the tracks an people clear the way once a train approaches. They return after the train has passed. With the PNR currently experiencing a revival of sorts, and if resources continue along with an increase in ridership, train frequencies should also be expected to increase. As such, there should come a time when trolleys would have to be banned along the entire line in order to minimize the chances for crashes involving trains and trolleys that will surely lead to fatal consequences. Perhaps the local governments along the PNR line should already look into this eventuality and initiate programs to address this issue, which can be associated with livelihood and residential concerns.

With the announcement of Cebu Pacific (CEB) that it is applying for flights to Australia (Sydney and Melbourne) and Russia (Moscow), a new challenge has been posed by the Philippines’ leading airline to its competitors. This challenge is but a continuation of one they have been issuing to Philippine Airlines (PAL), which used to be the country’s only flag carrier, since the Gokongwei airline started operations in the late 1990’s. Earlier, CEB have announced flights to Dubai starting in the fourth quarter of 2013 as well as international flights connecting Iloilo and Bacolod to Hong Kong and Singapore. The general perception is that such aggressiveness has benefitted travelers though CEB is classified as a budget airline to PAL’s full service status.

While CEB has been carrying the most passengers among local airlines, its network of destinations abroad is still quite limited to mostly regional flights (e.g., Singapore, Hong Kong, Bangkok, etc.) but with higher frequencies than PAL. CEB still has no long haul flights. Meanwhile, PAL has been flying regularly to the United States (Los Angeles, San Francisco, Honolulu, Las Vegas), Canada (Vancouver), and Australia (Sydney and Melbourne) while recently opening service to India (Delhi). The airline used to have flights to Europe and the Middle East but these have been scaled down (read: currently no flights) due to increasing costs and losses. But with CEB’s announcement of Dubai flights, PAL countered with the announcement that it will be flying direct to Doha, Qatar also by the fourth quarter of this year. PAL has been enjoying a resurgence of sorts after a majority stake was acquired by San Miguel Corporation (SMC), which has diversified from its main business of beverages.

Revving-up! – Cebu Pacific has made orders for more aircraft including its first wide-bodied jets for long haul flights.

Playing catch-up? – PAL is now being run by San Miguel and has also made orders for additional aircraft as it plans more flights to the US and reviving its European routes.

PAL actually wanted to have more flights to the US including expanding to new destinations like Chicago and New York, where there are sizable Filipino communities, but it is currently restricted by the Philippines being degraded to Category 2 status by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Now, with the recent favorable assessment by the ICAO, it is expected that other countries outside the US will lift the current restrictions on Philippine carriers. Also, it is expected that the FAA will soon follow with its own evaluation and that a favorable result then will lead to more flights to more US destinations. With CEB also stating its interest to have US flights, it would come as no surprise that fares might just become more competitive for direct flights to the US. Maybe the next step is for either or both airlines to join one of the airline alliances, One World, Asia Miles or Star Alliance, to add their benefits to those already enjoyed by travelers in what has been a healthy competition favorable to both local and foreign travelers.